Time-recorder



No. 609,906. Patented Aug. 30, I898. E. E. RANDOLPH &. H. L. McCOY TIME RECORDER.

(Application filed 3m. 3, 1888.1

2 Sheets-Shoot I.

(No Model.)

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Patented Aug. 30, I898. E. E. RANDOLPH & H. L. McCOY.

TIME RECORDER.

(Application filed Jun. 3, 1898.

I heets-$heet 2.

No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

ELMER E. RANDOLPH AND HENRY L. MCCOY, OF MANITO, ILLINOIS.

TIME-RECORDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 609,906, dated August 30, 1898.

Application filed Janu r 3, 1898- Serial No. 665,302- (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ELMER E. RANDOLPH and HENRY L. MCCOY, citizens of the United States, residing at Manito, in the county of Mason and State of Illinois, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in Time- Recorders; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact descrip tion of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in time-indicators by means of which a simple device is provided that is well adapted for the purpose designed.

More particularly our invention relates to a recording mechanism adapted to be used on racecourses for the purpose of indicating correctly any speed producers or mechanismssuch as horse-races, bicycle-races, runningraces, motors, and the like-and is operated upon in such a manner as to cause the starting and stopping of a stop watch or clock as the speed-producer crosses and recrosses the point of starting.

Our invention consists, essentially, in the provision of two upright posts located at opposite sides of the race-course and at the point of starting, of suitable rings provided with cords or light strings adapted to stretch across the track and to be fastened to the opposite post, of means for alternately dropping each of the several rings into position and for causing the twine attached thereto when contacted with by the racer or speed-producer to start or stop a stop watch or clock, and of certain other details more particularly pointed out in the drawings.

That our invention may be more fully understood reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in whieh- Figure 1 is an elevation of our improved indicator in position to be operated upon by the racer or speed-producer. Fig. 2 is a detail view in section of the upper part of one of the posts, showing the tripping mechanism for dropping the rings into position. Fig. 3

Figs. 5 and 0 show a modifiedform of tripping mechanism and the detail means for supporting a clock.

Fig. 7 is a time-dial.

In the drawings like letters of reference indicate the same parts of our recorder.

A A are posts made of durable material and located on the opposite sides of a racetrack and at the point of starting and may be supported by projecting into the ground or by any suitable means.

B are rings carried around the post A and at pointabove the ground sufficient to allow the speed-producer to pass beneath.

Z) are pieces of light cord or twine carried across the track and are held suspended in the air by means of the rings Z) upon the hooks c.

(l is a flat spring carried upright within the slot provided in post A and is firmly held therein at c.

D is an arm extending up from the top of post A.

D is a lever or trip pivoted at d to the arm D, a portion of which extends down into the slot and contacts with the face of spring C.

d is a cord attachment with the lever D and is carried across the racetrack and through an eyelet provided in post A and has attached thereto the ring (P, which ring is carried in a position within easy reach of the timer.

, E is a pin suitably secured in the post A, projecting through a slot 0 in the spring and extends out past the post sufficient distance to support the ring or rings B.

F is a trip carried in position behind the rings B and suitably secured in spring 0.

G are arms carried on either side of the post A and at the lower portion thereof.

G is a lever pivoted at g to the arm G and is provided with the toe or projection g therefrom, the upper end of which lever is curved to form the loop or hook 9 G2 is a spring secured to the post A and also attached to the lower extremity of the lever G. r

H is a frame projection adapted to be carried around the post A, as shown, and is adapted to carry a stopwatch H therein, as shown, the frame being so carried as to allow of the toe g when the lever G is tripped to contact with the stop-Watch for starting or stopping the same.

I is a ring secured to the post A and in a horizontal line with the hook g on lever G, provided for the purpose of passing the string 1) through to connect with the loop, adapting the same when the string is contacted with to provide against any side motion of the lever G, which might be caused when the string was being pulled.

K is a suitable block or pin secured to the post A and is adapted to catch the ring when the same is dropped from the pin E.

To indicate the time of any speed-producer, the operation of the device is as follows supposing all of the rings B to be at the upper end of post A and supported upon the pin E and the strings or pieces of cord 1), connected with the rings B, held in position, as shown, on post A by the small rings 1) upon hooks c. The racer or speed-producer having been placed in position to start, the operator by pulling upon the cord 61 actuates the lever D, which in turn moves the flat spring 0, and by means of the hook or trip F attached thereto shoves the ring bearing upon pin E off, the ring in turn dropping upon the block K. The operator at the same time releases the string b, which is attached to the hook upon the post A and slips the same upon the hook g upon the lever G, which actuates the stop watch.

The racer or speed-producer when crossing the point of starting contacts with the string 1), which, being very thin, breaks in two; but at the same time as the pressure is brought to bear upon it it will pull the lever G, causing the toe projection g thereon to contact with and start the stop-watch instantaneously as the racer breaks the string. In catching the racer or speed-producers time when recrossing the line of starting and to stop the watch the same movement is gone through just previously described and the next adjoining ring is dropped into position, and as the racer or speed-producer again crosses the line of starting and breaks the string the watch will be stopped.

In Fig. 5, L is a post. L are supportingbrackets. L is a lever pivoted at it to the brackets L and is provided with the hook Z. L is a small lever having a jointed connection with the lever L at m and is pivoted at m to the supporting-ring M. n is a spring secured to the post and to the lever L N is a clock or time-dial carried above the post and is suitably held in position by means of the supporting brackets or straps m m. 0 is a frame or pocket suitably secured to and projecting out from the post L. In this figure we have inverted the tripping mechanism for operating the time-watch and have shown both a means for operating a stop watch and to also operate a time-dial that is so elevated that those in the grand-stand may also be able to tell the exact time made by the racer.- This is accomplished when the twine, which is attached to the hook on the lever L is broken, which actuates the small lever L which in turn contacts with and starts the time-dial, as will be understood from the drawings. By placing a stop-watch in the arm or pocket 0 we may also receive the time through the watch, which is contacted with by means of the toe Z on the lever L Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a time-indicator purposed to indicate the time made by racers, the combination with the posts A, A, placedat opposite sides of a race-track, of the rings B, provided with strings I), attached thereto across the track and held on the post A, of means for alternately dropping the rings B, and for placing the strings 1), into position to be contacted with by the racer, and of means connected with said strings for instantaneously indi-' cating upon a stop watch or clock the exact time made by the racer when crossing and recrossing the tape, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a time-indicator adapted to indicate the time made by racers, the combination with the posts A, A, of the rings B, carried on post A, and held thereon by the pin E, strings I), attached to the rings B, extending across the track and held on the post A, of means for alternately placing the rings and strings in position whereby the strings will be contacted with by the racer, which contact will instantaneously indicate the time made by the racer when crossing and recrossing the tape, consisting of the lever D, contacting with the spring O,iarranged in post A, the trip F, arranged in the spring 0, which when the lever D, is operated shoves the rings B, alternately off the pin E, the lever G provided with the hook g to which the string 1), is attached which when pressure is brought to bear against it will move the lever G, which will contact with a stop-watch carried in a frame secured to the post A, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. A time-indicator for race-tracks, consisting of contacting strings carried across said track, and contacting with posts at each side thereof, means suitably carried on said posts adapted to be actuated by the operator for causing the said strings to drop at intervals to be contacted with by the speed-producer and a time-indicator suitably carried in connection with said posts and actuated by the movement of said strings when contacted with by the speed-producer, all substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. In a time-indicator for indicating the time of any speed-producer, posts arranged along the side of the race-track and upon opposite sides thereof, strings carried-across said track and operated upon by said speed-pro- ICO In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

ELMER E. RANDOLPH. HENRY L. MCCOY.

Vitnesses:

L. G. MOCOMAS, LOUIS HEOKMAN. 

